The Oppenheimer Report - 9/24/12

The theme of this week’s report is disappointment.

I think Letterman has picked his president; he had Obama on last week and seemed very sympathetic. As well, he's made some pretty damning remarks about Romney. Don’t discount the influence of a late night talk show host. He said (or claimed to be repeating what someone else said) Mitt Romney makes George W. Bush look like Aristotle. On top of the damning “secret” video wherein Mitt apparently says some unflattering things about the poor, coupled with his general difficulty being perceived as a human being, Mitt had a bad week. His biggest enemy seems to be the far right in his own party. Hard to believe, but Mitt is middle of the road. Actually, he‘s the middle of any issue. New SNL cast member Jay Pharoah has been handed the honor of imitating President Obama, and last Saturday in the season opener, he did a funny little speech stating that his campaign strategy was simply to let Mitt self destruct. Romney may be on the ropes, and he’ll be dead in the water if those tea baggers get any traction, but the economy is still foundering and once again, it boils down to which candidate snows the American public into thinking he’s the Great Black/White Hope. Either way, I’m not hopeful that anyone can end the stalemate which is the Amercian Federal Government.

Amidst all the shooting-fish-in-a-barrel conservative bashing in the “liberal media” NY Times, last week, there was an article in the health section which captured my interest, about harvesting body parts grown inside the body. Specifically, it was about a pioneering female surgeon who is exploring procedures to regenerate intestinal tissue in infants suffering from a disease called necrotizing enterocolitis. I don’t really understand the procedure but it sounds fascinating and will perhaps lower the infant mortality rate for this often fatal disease. The idea of harvesting body tissue and body parts to save lives brings up that old moral issue, which is one of the many ways I am parting company with America’s conservative constituency. Are doctors playing G-d?  I suppose it depends on your definition. Some of those tea baggers and the ultra right fringe of the Republican party feel it is a sin to employ stem cell technology and other modern scientific procedures to treat illnesses. I disagree wholeheartedly and feel that any ways in which medical science can save lives are worth exploring. Certainly examine the ethics of the science, but where religion collides with common sense, as it so often seems to, let the public choose, or at the very least err on the side of common sense! In the case of abortion, how can it possibly be common sense to let a bunch of devoutly religious men decide what is so clearly (to me anyway) a fundamental right of any woman?

The NHL hockey lockout is in place and assures that at least all pre-season games will be cancelled, which of course brings me to disappointment #2. Another pro sports conflict over divvying up the loot? Really? I despise that arrogant little weasel Gary Bettman and the overpaid players aren‘t much better. They all look like greedy bastards to me, and we the fans suffer the most. As for the haplessToronto Maple Leafs, who cares anyhow, because you could throw all the money in the world at the Leafs and they’d still be as pathetic as they’ve proved to be for seven years. Shame on all of them! I’m actually relieved that I may not have to endure the excruciating disappointment of another season of dashed hopes, and it will give me time to explore some of Canada’s other great winter spectator sports, like curling, and extreme (read inebriated) skidooing. You’ve heard all the text message abbreviations, such as OMG, LOL, TTFN … here’s my abbreviation for the NHL: GFY.

Final note. Shauna and I saw Canadian singer/songwriter Jann Arden perform last Saturday night at Massey Hall in Toronto and she did not disappoint. I’ve wanted to see her for years, ever since I saw a documentary following her introduction to the NYC market. Her serious and sometimes melancholy songs belie her scandalous and often self deprecating sense of humor. She is really funny, and had us in stitches the whole evening. I’d go see her again in a heartbeat.

-Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2012 ALL RESERVED